Power-driven construction toy assembly with a touch-control remote controller

ABSTRACT

A power-driven construction toy assembly includes a remote controller spaced apart from a movable brick assembly driven by electric power and including a transmitter transmitting a control signal corresponding to an input signal generated by a touch panel. A power supply unit includes a brick-like casing assembled detachably to the brick assembly and receiving a battery set therein, a receiver mounted on the casing for receiving the control signal from the transmitter, and a control circuit controlling, based on the control signal received by the receiver, electrical connection between the battery set and a socket unit mounted on the casing and connected electrically to the brick assembly such that the battery set supplies the electric power to the brick assembly through the control circuit and the socket unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 098109897, filed on Mar. 26, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a power-driven construction toy assembly with a remote controller.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional remote controller 1 for remotely controlling movement of a power-driven brick assembly (not shown), such as a Lego-style brick assembly. The brick assembly includes a battery unit, a receiver unit, first and second driving brick units each including a motor for driving movement of a respective driven brick unit, and a control circuit coupled to the battery unit, the receiver unit, and the motors of and the first and second driving brick units.

The conventional remote controller 1 includes a housing 12, two operating buttons 121 mounted movably on the housing 12, a mode button 122 mounted movably on the housing 12, and a transmitter 123. The mode button 122 is operable to generate a mode input corresponding to control of one of the motors of and the first and second driving brick units. The operating buttons 121 are operable so as to generate an operating input. The transmitter 123 transmits a control signal based on the mode input generated by the mode button 122, and the operating input generated by the operating buttons 121. The receiver unit receives the control signal transmitted by the transmitter 123 and outputs the control signal received thereby to the control circuit. The control circuit is operable based on the control signal from the receiver unit to supply electric power from the battery unit to said one of the motors of the first and second driving brick units such that said one of the motors of the first and second driving brick units is operated in response to the electric power from the battery unit.

In use, the conventional remote controller 1 must be held by user's hands so that the operating buttons 121 are respectively operated by thumbs of the user's hands. Furthermore, operation of the mode button 122 is required to decide which one of the motors is to be controlled. In other words, the motors cannot be controlled simultaneously, thereby resulting in inconvenience during use. Moreover, the conventional remote controller 1 is not suitable for relatively complicated control of a brick assembly with more than two motors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a power-driven construction toy assembly with a touch-control remote controller that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the present invention, a power-driven construction toy assembly comprises:

a movable brick assembly driven by electric power;

a remote controller remote from and spaced apart from the brick assembly, and including

-   -   a touch panel operable so as to generate an input signal, and     -   a transmitter coupled to the touch panel for receiving the input         signal therefrom, and transmitting a control signal         corresponding to the input signal received thereby; and

a power supply unit including

-   -   a brick-like casing assembled detachably to the brick assembly,     -   a battery set received detachably in the brick-like casing,     -   a socket unit mounted on the brick-like casing and connected         electrically to the brick assembly,     -   a receiver mounted on the brick-like casing for receiving the         control signal transmitted by the transmitter of the remote         controller, and     -   a control circuit connected electrically to the receiver, the         battery set and the socket unit, receiving the control signal         from the receiver, and controlling electrical connection between         the battery set and the socket unit based on the control signal         received thereby such that the battery set supplies the electric         power to the brick assembly through the control circuit and the         socket unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional remote controller for controlling a power-driven brick assembly;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of a power-driven construction toy assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a schematic circuit block diagram illustrating the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a remote controller of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view showing the remote controller of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a partly exploded perspective view showing a power supply unit of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 2 a, the preferred embodiment of a power-driven construction toy assembly according to the present invention is shown to include a movable brick assembly 2, a remote controller 3, and a power supply unit 4.

The brick assembly 2 is driven by electric power.

In this embodiment, the brick assembly 2 is constructed as a crane, and includes three driven brick units 21, 21′, 21″, and three driving brick units 22, 22′, 22″ each of which includes a drive motor operable to drive movement of a corresponding one of the driven brick units 21, 21′, 21″. Each of the driven brick units 21, 21′, 21″ is formed with a plurality of connecting holes 23.

Referring further to FIGS. 3 and 4, the remote controller 3 is remote from and is spaced apart from the brick assembly 2. In this embodiment, the remote controller 3 includes a casing 31, a touch panel 32, a transmitter 33, and an indicator 34. The casing 31 consists of complementary first and second casing parts 311, 312, and a cover body 313. The second casing part 312 is configured with a battery-receiving space (not shown) for receiving a battery unit 35 therein that supplies electric power to the remote controller 3. The battery unit 35 consists of two batteries in this embodiment. The cover body 313 is mounted detachably on the second casing part 312 for covering the battery-receiving space. The touch panel 32 is operable so as to generate an input signal. In this embodiment, the touch panel 32, such as a capacitive touch panel, is mounted to the first casing part 311 of the casing 31, and is configured with a plurality of pairs of sensing areas 321, 322, 323. Each pair of the sensing areas 321, 322, 323 is associated with operation of a corresponding one of the driving brick units 22, 22′, 22″. Each of the sensing areas 321, 322, 323 is adapted to sense movement of a user's finger thereon to generate an input corresponding to the movement of the user's finger. The inputs generated by the sensing areas 321, 322, 323 constitute the input signal. The transmitter 33 is mounted to the first casing part 311 of the casing 31, is coupled to the touch panel 32 for receiving the input signal therefrom, and transmits a control signal corresponding to the input signal received thereby. The indicator 34, such as a buzzer, is disposed in the casing 31, and is coupled to the touch panel 32 for generating an audio output to indicate operation of each of the sensing areas 321, 322, 323 of the touch panel 32.

Referring further to FIG. 5, the power supply unit 4 includes a brick-like casing 41, a battery set 45, a socket unit 42, a receiver 43, and a control circuit 46. The brick-like casing 41 is assembled detachably to the brick assembly 2. In this embodiment, the casing 41 is formed with a plurality of connecting plugs 412 engaging detachably and respectively corresponding connecting holes 23 in the brick assembly 2. The battery set 45 includes a plurality of batteries 451, is received detachably in the casing 41. The socket unit 42 is mounted on the casing 41, and includes three sockets 421, each connected electrically to a corresponding one of the driving brick units 22, 22′, 22″ of the brick assembly 2 through an electrical wire 44. The receiver 43 is mounted on the casing 41 for receiving the control signal transmitted by the transmitter 33 of the remote controller 3. The control circuit 46 is connected electrically to the receiver 43, the battery set 45 and the socket unit 42, receives the control signal from the receiver 43, and controls electrical connection between the battery set 45 and the socket unit 42 based on the control signal received thereby such that the battery set 45 supplies the electric power to the brick assembly 2 through the control circuit 46 and the socket unit 42.

In use, the drive motor of the driving brick unit 22 drives movement of the driven brick unit 21 based on operation of the sensing areas 321. The drive motor of the driving brick unit 22′ drives rotation of the driven brick unit 21′ based on operation of the sensing areas 322. The drive motor of the driving brick unit 22″ drives movement of the driven brick unit 21″ based on operation of the sensing areas 323. It is noted that the sensing areas 321, 322, 323 can be operated simultaneously. As a result, the driven brick units 21, 21′, 21″ can be driven together, thereby resulting in convenience during use.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A power-driven construction toy assembly comprising: a movable brick assembly driven by electric power; a remote controller remote from and spaced apart from said brick assembly, and including a touch panel operable so as to generate an input signal, and a transmitter coupled to said touch panel for receiving the input signal therefrom, and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the input signal received thereby; and a power supply unit including a brick-like casing assembled detachably to said brick assembly, a battery set received detachably in said brick-like casing, a socket unit mounted on said brick-like casing and connected electrically to said brick assembly, a receiver mounted on said brick-like casing for receiving the control signal transmitted by said transmitter of said remote controller, and a control circuit connected electrically to said receiver, said battery set and said socket unit, receiving the control signal from said receiver, and controlling electrical connection between said battery set and said socket unit based on the control signal received thereby such that said battery set supplies the electric power to said brick assembly through said control circuit and said socket unit.
 2. The power-driven construction toy assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said brick assembly is formed with a plurality of connecting holes; and said brick-like casing of said power supply unit is formed with a plurality of connecting plugs engaging detachably and respectively said connecting holes in said brick assembly.
 3. The power-driven construction toy assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said touch panel of said remote controller is a capacitive touch panel.
 4. The power-driven construction toy assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said touch panel of said remote controller is configured with a plurality of sensing areas each of which is adapted to sense movement of a user' finger thereon to generate an input corresponding to the movement of the user's finger, the inputs generated by said sensing areas constituting the input signal.
 5. The power-driven construction toy assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said remote controller further includes an indicator for generating an audio output to indicate operation of each of said sensing areas of said touch panel.
 6. The power-driven construction toy assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said remote controller further includes a casing mounted with said touch panel and said transmitter thereon, and a battery unit received detachably in said casing for supplying electric power to said remote controller.
 7. The power-driven construction toy assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said brick assembly includes a plurality of driven brick units, and a plurality of driving brick units each of which is operable to drive movement of a corresponding one of said driven brick units; and said socket unit of said power supply unit includes a plurality of sockets each connected electrically to a corresponding one of said driving brick units of said brick assembly through an electrical wire. 